1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a new and improved form for use by pharmacists in documenting prescriptions and labeling medication containers. More particularly, it is concerned with an improved pharmacy form including a plurality of integrated labels which are connected by a common, severable backing tab.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various blank forms have been developed for printing by the pharmacist at the time a prescription for medication is filled. Among these are forms which include label sections, whereupon the pharmacist may remove or detach a plurality of labels from the form and apply them to a container. The labels may include a main label having a pressure sensitive adhesive and setting forth the patient, the physician, the date the prescription is filled, the contents of the prescription, and the directions for use. In addition, various advisory or warning labels may be supplied for bringing certain cautions to the attention of the patient, such as side effects of the drug or to warn about dangerous consequences of consuming alcohol with the medication. Patents generally addressed to such forms include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,642,906, 5,855,395 and 6,036,231 to Foote et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
While the forms disclosed therein are useful, having a form portion and a label section including a main label and a plurality of warning labels, the interconnection of the labels is accomplished by tabs in the face stock from which the labels are die cut. This requires significant quality control during manufacture, as if during cutting of the labels in the face stock the tabs are eliminated, then there is no connection between adjacent labels which would facilitate removal. On the other hand, if the tabs are more substantial than desired in numbers or thickness, then efforts to separate adjacent labels may lead to tearing of one label during separation of adjacent labels. Moreover, there may be occasions when it would be desirable to have at least a portion of the adhesive backing of the labels unexposed after removal of the main label and warning labels from the form.
These and other objects have largely been met by the pharmacy form and label of the present invention. That is to say, the pharmacy form and label hereof provides a convenient and economical alternative to the form construction where the labels are interconnected by tabs by providing die cut strips in a release liner opposite the labels, such that the strips are separated from the form upon removal of the labels. While some or a majority of the adhesive backing is exposed, the strips can also cover a portion of the adhesive back of the labels to provide a location for placement of the users fingers during separation and application. The individual labels may be imprinted on one side with indicia to provide the main label information described above or to warn, advise or caution, with pressure sensitive adhesive applied to the opposite side. The strips are die cut to span several different labels, thereby temporarily retaining them together. Preferably, the strips are perforated to enable a user to remove only the number of labels and thus the corresponding length of the strip necessary to accomplish the task at hand. Upon separation of the strip along a perforation, only a portion of a multiplicity of labels are removed, the others remaining with the main body of the form. Upon application of the adhesive coated side of the label to a substrate, such as a medication container, the strips may be peeled back if desired to adhere the labels to the substrate, or may be left in place with the labels held in position by the adhesive on the exposed surface.
These and other advantages of the label of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment set forth below.